Humanity's Anchor
by KelsiMellark
Summary: Stefan runs to the only person he thinks would understand his actions. Caroline. My take on S05E19 and how Caroline would find out about what happened to Enzo.


A/N: This is my take on how SO5E19 should have ended. Stefan and Caroline have grown so close that I feel it is only proper that he runs to her for comfort after Enzo died.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Some of the lines also belong to TVD although I changed them a bit for due to disclaimer issues

ooOoo

"Enzo's dead" It was the first time Stefan said it out loud since it actually happened

"Did you…?" Elena asked slowly, Stefan merely nodded "Yeah"

"Does Damon know?" Elena already knew the answer to her question. Stefan's eyes spoke for him but still, she wants to hear it straight from him

"I basically just killed my brother's only friend. It's been a tough year for Damon. Don't you think it would be easier if Enzo just left and was never heard from again?" Stefan sighed deeply as he sat on Elena's dorm bed. He didn't know what to do, well he did but he doesn't exactly have the heart to.

"Ohh, Stefan I don't know if I can…" Her mind instantly parted into two sides, the one wanting to keep a secret from Damon to help Stefan and the other wanting to come clean although risking losing Damon forever… perhaps both Salvatores. Once again, she felt like she needed to choose brothers.

"Listen, Elena. All Damon knows that Enzo left town, and we need to keep it that way. We barely just got him back. This would destroy him. Please."

"Alright." The younger vampire was reluctant but she agreed anyway. At least for now, _just let it cool and give it a rest_, she thought.

"Thank you." He replied. His face visibly lightened but only slightly. They both stayed silent after that, the quietness of the moment comforting one another.

"You know it's not your fault right?" Elena whispered after a while. Stefan's face scrunched up.

"It was bound to happen, Stefan. Once you turn it off and there's no reason to turn it back on, it's just doomed." She continued after there were no signs of her former lover responding.

"Nobody gave up on me, Elena. No one gave up on you, Damon. It just feels unfair." He finally replied.

"We had someone to turn back to. He didn't. It was only right for him to die." Her last statement shocked Stefan, although he didn't show it. It didn't sound like the Elena he knew, nothing but resentment in her voice.

"Thank you Elena, but that wasn't what I wanted to hear." Her face didn't change; at least she didn't take it the wrong way.

"Okay. I'm just here Stefan. You can tell me anything. Just let it out." That was when it hit him. He desperately wanted release, for what happened today, for what happened the past weeks, hell he just wanted release for whatever happened with his last 160 years. But Elena wasn't the person the person he wanted to talk to. Not exactly. Sure, she was important to him, but so much has happened that the thought of heart talks with her seemed impossible. At least not at the moment. So instead of pouring all his emotions, he just nodded.

"Have you talked to Caroline?" He asked instead.

"No. Not since she left early this morning. Why?" Elena cocked her head sideways.

"She hasn't returned any of Damon's calls or mine. I'm worried about her." At least the tension he felt a while ago subsided, only it was replaced.

"She's a vampire, Stefan. She'll be okay. You're the one tortured today. Worry about yourself. Rest." Elena gave him a reassuring smile… that didn't work. She brushed her hands on his hair and finally rested it on his face. If it happened a few months back, he probably would have raised his hopes.

"Yeah, I should do that. I'll check on Damon, too." He stood up from the corner of Elena's bed and detached himself from her gaze.

"Okay. Goodnight, Stefan."

"Goodnight, Elena."

"Stefan, wait!" Elena called from the hallway of the dorm. He stopped to look back.

"Thank you for today." She seemed uncomfortable doing this. He actually wanted to laugh.

"That's what friends are for, 'Lena."

ooOoo

*_17 new miscalls from Caroline Forbes*_

_*6 new messages from Caroline Forbes*_

_Stefan, Sorry I wasn't able to answer your calls. I was… busy._

_Stefan? What happened today? I just listened to Damon's messages. Call me._

_Stefan! Where are you? Answer the phone ASAP._

_Okay, so that was rude of me since I didn't answer my phone the entire day… BUT CALL ME._

_Stef, Elena told me what happened. You okay?_

_STEFAN, I'M ON MY WAY. WAIT FOR ME._

If Caroline didn't sound so worried from her messages, Stefan would have laughed. The thing is he was too busy trying not to drown in his own guilt while having drinks with Damon, that he didn't bother getting up to check his phone.

_Care, I'll just meet you at the Grill. Damon is… Damon._ He texted her back before getting his jacket from the bed.

"I'll be heading out." Stefan declared to no one in particular. He didn't exactly need Damon's permission to go out. Besides, he was way too drunk to even realize he left.

"Take care baby bro." Damon replied, voice coated with alcohol. Great, as if he needed more reasons to feel guilty.

"Will do."

ooOoo

"Stefan!" Caroline didn't even give him the time to speak and quickly enveloped him in a hug.

"You'll crush me, Care." Stefan joked in hopes of lightening the mood.

"Oh God, You scared me! What happened today? Elena told me you guys were hostaged and that Bonnie almost died and that YOU almost died and that I don't even know! What happened?!" She inhaled deeply as if actually needing the air she just lost with her ramble.

"Enzo's gone, Care." No use in sugar coating it, Stefan thought. Caroline's eyes grew and her face turned into stone.

"How?" Stefan didn't answer, just bowed his head. It was already understood. And so Caroline sat him down on a chair and made him talk about it. Unlike what he felt with Elena, earlier, he quickly got used to talking to her. He told her everything from the sitting in the coffee shop, until when he got her messages. Caroline's face stayed firm but her hand never left Stefan's; reassuring him. She never once judged. She just listened.

"C'mon Caroline, your turn." Stefan finally said after finishing his story.

"Okay, so somebody has to say it. So here it goes, are you ready?" Caroline tried her best to re-enact how Stefan told her the exact same line when he found out she slept with Klaus.

"You killed Enzo, Damon's only friend, perhaps the only one he'll ever have. You're lying to him about it. You are the worst brother in the world. BUT, you did it because you wanted save Damon's life and save yours too… you're keeping it from his because you don't want him off the rails like he was just like 20 minutes ago. Let's face it, it's all gonna blow up all over your face in a few days, yeah but at least you got to keep Damon afloat a few more days. And sure, you killed someone with a sexy accent, probably ripped and stained another shirt which I just hope is not what I bought you after your torture stunt two weeks ago. But to top it off, you all did it because you cared for someone you love. Did the lesser evil. It wasn't on purpose. You messed up, but saved your brother's life. At the end of the day, blood will always be thicker than water. Especially when it's a B+" Caroline did it again. She managed to lecture him, tell him what he needed to hear and still enlighten his mood all in one speech.

"Okay shut up!" Stefan was now laughing slightly and Caroline smiled, thankful he was feeling better.

"I can come with you when you need to Damon already."

"Thank you so much, Care." Stefan meant it. He couldn't be more thankful than he was for Caroline right now. He remembered how Damon said earlier that he was the one that anchored Damon's humanity. Stefan could say the same but, he also realized that with his humanity turned on, only Caroline could make him feel better like that now. That he thought, is a reason of holding on to humanity. Caroline was also his anchor. _Two is better than one _he thought.


End file.
